Ganienkeh Territory (November 29, 2012) – Despite an online land auction set to take place tomorrow, The Ganienkeh Council Fire declares that the results of the auction are irrelevant to its territorial rights. As a sovereign and independent territory of the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) Nation, Ganienkeh Territory and its residents are not subject to the laws or the courts of the United States of America, New York State, Clinton County, or the town of Altona. The outcome of the lawsuit launched by the Turtle Island Trust on November 28th (New York Supreme Court Case 2012-00001702) and of the online auction scheduled by Clinton County for Friday, November 30, are therefore not relevant to Ganienkeh.

As a public service to anyone who is considering bidding in Clinton County’s auction on Friday, the Ganienkeh Council Fire would like to clarify the following points:

First, Ganienkeh Territory is not for sale. The Ganienkeh Council Fire has held sovereign and aboriginal title to its territory since the beginning of time. Clinton County, New York State and the United States of America have never extinguished its sovereign title. Anyone who thinks otherwise is free to make a donation to Clinton County on Friday. Read the rest of this entry →

Quito, Ecuador – Hundreds of indigenous people gathered outside the Marriott Hotel in Quito today at the VII Annual Meeting of Oil and Energy where the Ecuadorian government announced the opening of the XI Round, an oil auction in which 13 oil blocks went on sale covering nearly eight million acres of rainforest in the Amazonian provinces of Pastaza and Morona Santiago near the border with Peru.

Led by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) and the Confederation of Amazonian Indigenous Nationalities (CONFENIAE) and representing seven indigenous nationalities, the group overtook the entrance to the hotel and were meet by military, police, private security forces and pepper spray. Several indigenous leaders entered the meeting and publicly confronted Minister of Non-Renewable Energy Wilson Pastor.

“CONFENIAE was never consulted about this,” said Franco Viteri, President of CONFENIAE. “Our position on oil extraction is clear: We are absolutely opposed.” Read the rest of this entry →

By Mark P. Fancher. Mark is an attorney who writes frequently about the U.S. military presence in Africa. He can be reached at mfancher@comcast.net. As usual the posting of this article does not imply 100% endorsement or agreement.

West Africa teeters on the brink of disaster because of an armed conflict in Mali that escalated after a Tuareg secessionist movement gained control of northern regions in the country. The situation became even more intense when, according to reports, the armed movement was hijacked by extremist elements that are alleged to have used torture and mutilation to enforce what is purported to be Islamic law. These extremist forces are also accused of having connections to terrorist formations.

Although the situation in Mali is rooted in a claimed desire for self-determination for the region that secessionists call “Azawad,” there are no doubt many outside of Mali regard it as yet another conflict between Arab and/or Islamic communities and “blacks.” A BBC News report stated: “The pale-skinned Tuaregs, who inhabit northern Mali, have long complained of neglect and discrimination by the government dominated by [southerners] in far-off Bamako.” The story reports that a Malian arson victim complained of retaliation for the Tuareg insurrection. “People started attacking anything Tuareg. They burnt houses, cars and attacked anyone with white skin – even Arabs.” Read the rest of this entry →